1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicles having occupant restraint systems, and more particularly to an occupant restraint system able to detect and activate restraints during a side impact.
2. Background Art
Modern automotive vehicles typically include occupant protection systems having deployable restraints such as airbags, side air curtains, active head restraints, and seatbelt pretensioners. Such occupant protection systems should ideally be able to protect vehicle occupants from injury during both frontal collisions and side impacts. It is known to equip a vehicle with side impact sensors located at side crash zones. Side impact sensors may include accelerometers (also known as g-sensors) and/or air pressure sensors located inside a door or other cavity of the vehicle body. When a side impact is detected, appropriate occupant restraints such as seatbelt pretensioners, side airbags, and/or inflatable side curtains are deployed.
During some side impact conditions, such as when the vehicle is traveling sideways and strikes a stationary pole, traditional safety systems using the side impact sensors alone to detect the impact may not produce a reliable indication early enough in the event to allow optimum deployment of occupant restraints.